If you are planning your vacation time in Pensacola Beach, Florida, you've picked a fun and fascinating area. You'll find several exciting attractions, and one of them is Fort Pickens. It's a military fort built in the 1830s to defend Pensacola Bay. Today, there's a wealth of interesting Florida history. To explore Fort Pickens and more attractions in the Pensacola Beach area, you must book directly with Premier Island Management Group. Before you book, here are some things you should know about Fort Pickens near Pensacola Beach, Florida.
The United States Army built Fort Pickens in the 1800s to defend the Gulf Coast from whatever enemies come close. During the 1800s, Pensacola Bay was considered essential to European colonies.
Fort Pickens is one of many forts established in the area. The others were Fort McRee and Fort Barrancas.
Fort Pickens gets its name from the American Revolutionary War hero Andrew Pickens.
According to the National Parks Service, "Fort Pickens was built on a bed of violence and cruelty. The Army forced enslaved Black men to build and later repair the fort."
Still, Fort Pickens served as an underground railroad destination during and after the Civil War.
Following the Civil War and the Apache Wars, the fort kept Chiricahua Apache prisoners of war for more than 25 years. Prisoners of war like Geronimo were one of the many prisoners who labored at the fort.
Even though Florida was part of the Confederacy in the American Civil War, the Union controlled Key West, Fort Jefferson, and Fort Pickens throughout the war.
Fort Pickens remained an active military base until the end of World War II.
The fort also supplied an underwater minefield.
According to the National Parks Service, "Fort Pickens joined the National Park Service's Gulf Islands National Seashore in 1971. Today, the fort is a monument to military technology and a memorial to past injustices."
Explore Fort Pickens
Fort Pickens should be on your list of things to see when you stay in Pensacola Beach. Just make sure you book directly with Premier Island Management Group. We offer vacation homes in Pensacola Beach, Florida, with ample privacy and space for you, your family, or your group. Our private Pensacola Beach, Florida, homes feature private pools, gulf front views, complimentary wireless internet, and more.
